Tunnel-head.



S. D. MOSHER.

TUNNEL HEAD.

APPLIUATION FILED sBP'Lls. 1913.

1,098,961, l Patented June 2,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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S. D. MOSHER TUNNEL HEAD.

APPLIOATION FILED SBPT.19, 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMNA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, n. C.

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE. j

SYLVENUS D. MOSHER, OF STORM KING, NEW YORK.

TUN NEL-HEAD.

To all co/Lofm, it may concern Be it known that l, SYLvnNUs D. Mostrar,a citizen of the United States, residing at Storm King, in the county ofDutchess and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in riiinnel-l'leacls, of which the following is aspecification.

rlhe invention relates to an improvement in tunnel heads designed toform a temporary protecting terminal for the tunnel tube, the head beingadvanced lengthwise the tunnel or excavation as the tube is constructed.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of means topermit tunnel .j ing beneath bodies of water without necessitating theusual costly and dangerous pro tective construction involved in theordinary methods.

rihe invention in its preferred form of details will be described in thefollowing specification, reference being had particularly to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a diagrammatic viewillustrating generally the method employed in the initial preparationfor the tunneling. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view illustratingthe improved head and showing a portion of the completed tube in placein the bed of a river. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through thehead. Fig. 4E is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is atransverse section through the tunnel in completed condition. Fig. 6 isa sectional view through the head showing a modified form for raisingand lowering same.

With particular reference to the accompanying drawings, the improvedtunnel head 1 is made up of a plurality of sections 2 appropriatelyformed and secured together to provide a cylindrical body, the form ofthe sections being such as to provide a rear open end for the body andthe forward pointed or feeding end 3. Within the body approximatelyadjacent the pointed ends there is provided a transverse partition a,and a space forward of, said partition is provided with a cylindricallongitudinally arranged casing 5 to which entrance is had through amanhole 6 in the partition, the casing 5 forming a weight chamber, forthe reception of appropriate weight by which the nose end of the headmay be properly held in position on the tunnel foundation. The headproper throughout its length is formed with an inner shell 7 secured tothe Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. September 19, 1913.

Patented June 2, 1914. Serial No. 790,739.

sections 2, and admission to the space within the shell is provided.through a manhole 8 formed in said partition at an appropriate point,preferably within-that portion of the head forward of the partition. Acompressed air pipe 9 opens through the partition l for a purpose ofadmitting air with in the shell and to the inner and outer sections ofthe head proper, whereby the weight of the head through the properrelative adjustment of a quantity of compressed air and weight in theweight chamber may be controlled to insure proper movement of the headunder all conditions of the body of water in which. the tunnel is beinglaid. Adjacent the rear open end the inner shell 7 is provided with aninwardly extending ring l0, and in which is arranged packing rings il,providing a packing for the head on the immediately adjacent sections ofthe tunnel casing l2. Packing glands 13, made up in sectional formation,are carried by the head on opposite sides of the bearings 11, the glandsi'itting the casing section 12 in a manner to exclude the water fromentrance between said rings and the tunnel casing section.

A metallic shoe 11i underlies the head and conforms throughout itslength and breadth to the shape of the head, the shoe forming a bearingelement for the head in its movement lengthwise the tunnel andexcavation. In rear of the head .the shoe is provided with a weight boxl5 adapted to receive any suitable weight for holding the rear end ofthe head in proper position in a tunnel excavation. The forward end ofthe shoe, which terminates immediately in advance of the pointed end ofthe nose of the head, is provided with a ring 16 adapted to receive ananchoring connection, whereby the head may be anchored to prevent itslateral displacement by current.

ln the construction of the tunnel in accordance with this invention, thefirst step is dredging the bed in the bottom of the river in a line ofthe desired tunnel. A propel' foundation is laid as a bed in the channelthus formed and it is on this bed that the head described is operated.The tunnel proper is built within the casing, being made of sectionalrings, and as each ring is added or built up, the head is advanced byany ap propriete means. so that an additional ring may he added. rlhetunnel is thus gradually completed with the use of the head, it beingunderstood that the space surrounding the casing of the tunnel is filledin by any appropriate material, as concrete, up to or above the normalbottom of the stream, this filling in being continuously carried on asthe head is advanced so that each section of the tunnel casing when freeof the support of the head is inclosed within its filling to maintainthe proper alinement and solidify the entire structure. Thisconstruction provides for not only rapid work but economy in cost andallows the men to work with little or no danger from the caving in ofthe usual bulk heads which are employed and does not require compressedair which is also a source of danger. rThis form of tunnel is especiallyadapted for work under small streams while it may take the place of theusual expensive Colfer dam operation.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified means wherein guards 17 are providedon each side of the shoe la in which guards are mounted runners 1S. rlherunners are connected to the lower ends of jack screws 19 which eX- tendthrough the head and have threaded cooperation with abutments 2O withinthe head. By obvious operation of the jack screws the runners will beoperated within the guards and correspondingly lower or raise theforward end of shell, thus keeping said head to grade.

XV hat is claimed is l. A tunnel head including a casing open at one endfor cooperation with a tunnel section and pointed at the opposite end,apacking carried by the head to engage the tunnel section, and a shoecarried by the head and forming the bearing support therefor on thefoundation of the tunnel channel.

2. A tunnel head including a casing open at one end for cooperation witha tunnel section and pointed at the opposite end, a

packing carried by the head to engage the tunnel section, and a shoecarried by the head and forming the bearing support therefor on thefoundation of the tunnel channel, said shoe having its forward endformed with an anchoring connection.

3. A tunnel head including a casing open at one end for coperation witha tunnel section and pointed at the opposite end, a packing carried bythe head to engage the tunnel section, a shoe carried by the head andforming the bearing support therefor on the foundation of the tunnelchannel, and a weight box carried by the shoe in rear of the open end ofthe head.

4. A tunnel head including a casing open at one end for coperation witha tunnel section and pointed at the opposite end, a packing carried bythe head to engage the tunnel section, a shoe carried by the head andforming the bearing support therefor on the foundation of the tunnelchannel, a partition transverse the head and a weight chamber carriedcentrally and longitudinally of the head.

5. A tunnel head including a casing open at one end for cooperation witha tunnel seetien and pointed at the opposite end, a packing carried bythe head to engage the tunnel section, a shoe carried by the head andforming the bearing support therefor on the foundation of the tunnelchannel, a partition transverse the head, a weight chamber carriedcentrally and longitudinally of the head, and means for admittingcompressed air to that portion of the head in advance of the partit-ion.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SYLVENUS D. MOSHER. Vitnesses:

JOHN A. DONEGAN, CHARLES LA RUE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

